COMMANDER // 1822–1909
Red Cloud
traditional leader or chiefUnited States2 battles2 wars
Lifespan
1822 – 1909
Active service 1865–1866 — 2 battles across 2 wars; first command at age 43.
Profile
Red Cloud was a leader of the Oglala Lakota from 1865 to 1909. He was one of the most capable Native American opponents whom the United States Army faced in the western territories. He led the Lakota to victory over the United States during Red Cloud's War, establishing the Lakota as the only nation to defeat the United States on American soil. The largest action of the war was the 1866 Fetterman Fight, with 81 US soldiers killed; it was the worst military defeat suffered by the US Army on the Great Plains until the Battle of the Little Bighorn 10 years later.
Battles (2)
1865
Battle of Platte BridgeColorado War · Lakota
1866